Ripped Apart
by Dannondorf
Summary: Oneshot. A less pleasant take on Poo's final trial in Mu training.


Ripped Apart

By Dannondorf

"Blah" is talking. The symbol 1111111111111111 means a transition in the story.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to Earthbound. This story is strictly for entertainment purposes and not for profit.

**Author's Notes:** I'd like to give a big thank-you to Achitka for helping me with my passive phrasing. (Achitka, if you happen to read this, note the improvement from Masters of Alchemy.) I'd also like to thank all my other reviewers: elctropro, Freedom's Falchion, Rexnos, Silvanus I, Kusabi Makabe, Proponent of EVO, ootfan1234, lordscarf, Vladimir the Hamster, Red Mage Moogle, and crystalheart81. You guys rock. If you'll excuse my grammar for a moment, you're all the man/woman now, dog.

This is probably the quickest that I've ever written a fanfic. Usually I'm so slooooooow, but I wrote this in one day. Level up for me! Anyhow, on with the story. I hope you enjoy it! Write a review if it strikes your fancy.

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There was an old story passed down in Dalaam by the royal family. It claimed that when humankind's ultimate enemy revealed itself, four teenagers would be inexplicably drawn to each other and would journey together to defeat it. This, the legend of the chosen four, was known by many wise men, not just those inhabiting Dalaam. However, Dalaam's version of the tale differed from others in that it provided one extra detail: one of the chosen four, the one from Dalaam, would be of royal blood, and the heroes would succeed in their quest only if this one underwent a rigorous endeavor known as "Mu training."

Most people in Dalaam recognized this term, but few understood what it was. Even fewer attempted the endeavor, and fewer still managed to complete it; since it was both a physical and mental pursuit, it was extremely taxing on the body and mind. Nonetheless, due to the prophecy, a law was made that required all members of the royal family to complete Mu training.

Such was the tradition for many generations, until a time came when only one of royal blood remained, the only one born to his generation. This was Poo, the prince of Dalaam. Since he was the sole survivor of the tragedy that took the lives of his family, the people loved and cherished him. Nonetheless, they were tough on him, for they had to keep the prophecy in mind; they had to push him through Mu training in case humankind's ultimate enemy, evil incarnate, appeared on Mother Earth within his lifetime.

Poo's master, the man who taught him the ways of Mu, was fraught with worry for the first twelve years of Poo's life: though Poo tried very hard to please his master, he was not a natural athlete like many of his ancestors had been, nor was he the fighting type. He was a quiet boy, a pacifist by nature; he abhorred violence, favoring social harmony above all else. Due to this, his fighting style was full of hesitation whenever he sparred, despite the scolding he earned for it. No matter how much he was punished, no matter how ashamed he felt when his superiors shook their heads disapprovingly at him, he could not correct his methods. His master feared what might happen should Poo be the chosen one from the prophecy. Poo surely would not be strong enough to stand against the evil one. Even so, the master had a terrible nagging feeling that Poo _would_ be the chosen one.

To his horror, his suspicions were confirmed just as Poo was entering his teenage years. As Poo neared the final test of Mu, the master sensed the arrival of Giygas, the cosmic destroyer. With a heavy heart, he stood before the prince in the royal palace and spoke. "The time has now come for you to undertake your final trial. Go to the Place of Emptiness and endure this test. I am praying for your success in this final stage of your training."

The master was filled with doubt. He knew that Poo was not mentally strong enough to be the world's savior. Poo, however, was unaware of his master's feelings. He knew that his master would much prefer to have one of the previous princes as a student instead of him, but Poo did not know that his master had no faith in him whatsoever. As always, the student said nothing and nodded respectfully to his teacher before leaving the room, determined to make him proud.

Poo tried to shake his nervousness as he strolled to his destination. He had no idea what his "final trial" would be. No one would be at the Place of Emptiness. Without anyone to instruct him, how would he know what his trial was supposed to be? He could see the Place of Emptiness in the distance, and it looked the same as it always did: a bare plateau that could only be climbed with the aid of a rope that had been connected from the top to the bottom long before he was born. It was no different than usual, so how could a test be waiting there for him?

He found no solution in the time it took to arrive. He climbed the rope as he had done many times before. When he reached the top, he stood idly, waiting for something to happen. He waited for some challenge to be hurled at him. He stood still for five minutes before sighing and falling into a sitting position.

Was he supposed to know what to do? Would his master scold him later for not knowing? Was he really as disappointing a pupil as his master made him feel he was? Poo's nervousness still had not left him, so he decided that he might as well meditate and calm himself while he waited for whatever his trial was to present itself.

Fitting his body into the proper position and closing his eyes, he began pushing away all his thoughts. Since "Mu" meant "nothing," emptying his mind was a regular part of his training, and he was well-acquainted with meditation. For some reason, though, he had trouble with it this time: he could not force his negative thoughts from his mind. Doubts that had been brewing for twelve years chose this moment to demand Poo's full attention. He couldn't shake them.

Back in the palace, the master was nervous as well, for he also had no idea what his student's final trial would be; it was chosen by the souls of one's ancestors, so it was different for each person. This wasn't why he was nervous, though. He was nervous because the punishment dealt by one's ancestors for failing, although varying from person to person like the trial, was always severe. There were tales from long ago that even told of a man _dying_ during his ultimate test.

Did he have any right to put his student through this? Poo was the only possibility for a chosen one of royal blood, and yet the master knew that Poo would not be able to pass his test. But the scriptures said the chosen one would pass, so perhaps Poo did have a chance of succeeding…

He decided. Whether Poo was the chosen one or not, the master could not put him through this before he was ready, even with Giygas already on Earth. It was selfish to throw him into danger just so he and the rest of Dalaam could feel safe. He needed to stop Poo right away before the trial began. Then he would train him for a while longer until he was ready. It was a dangerous gamble, but it was the best course of action. The master only hoped that Giygas's influence wouldn't spread to Dalaam before Poo completed his training.

Since he was too old to run very fast, he ordered a young servant girl to run to the Place of Emptiness as fast as she could, for the prince's life was in danger. The servant dropped what she had been carrying and obeyed, not sparing a second. When she arrived, she was relieved to see that he was meditating atop the plateau and had apparently not yet started his test. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled from the bottom. "Prince Poo! I am a messenger from your master. He sent me to tell you that you must stop your meditation immediately. Prince Poo! You must come back with me instead of staying in a place such as this. Your master wishes it."

Her voice broke his concentration, and he opened his eyes. What did she say? His master wanted him to stop? Then…the old man really did have no faith in him. Poo became angry. All the doubts he was focusing on earlier were now laughing at him. Determined to prove his master wrong, he stubbornly remained where he was and uttered not a word to the one addressing him. He closed his eyes in a second attempt to meditate.

The servant girl was now very afraid. Why wasn't he listening to her? "Please rise, Prince! Your highness, you must give up this trial for now. Believe what I say. It is the truth!"

But Poo had already blocked out her voice. He had successfully found his center this time, using his determination to crush his doubt as he emptied his mind. He saw, felt, heard, and thought nothing. His mind's eye perceived nothing but an infinite void.

Close to panicking, the servant girl tried to climb the rope, but she wasn't strong enough to reach him. She had no choice but to get help. Though clearly already tired from running to him, she sprinted back toward town, and he was once again the only one in the area.

Poo's mind was still a void. All sense of time was lost to him as he drifted back and forth in it. The real world was completely forgotten…until he was suddenly jerked out of his meditation and his thoughts unexpectedly came flooding back to him. Just like that, he returned to his typical conscious state. What had brought him out of his peaceful trance? He opened his eyes to look for an answer and found himself in the very void he had been focusing on. "Wha—?" Standing up, he flexed and realized that he possessed all the senses he had in the real world…but this clearly wasn't his world. He was surrounded by nothingness in every direction, if directions even existed in this place.

Something appeared among the nothingness. It didn't seem to have a form at first, but it gradually became focused and defined until it resembled the outline of someone's face. Poo noted that it resembled his own somewhat, only older.

The image spoke in a voice that seemed to project from everywhere. "Prince Poo...I am the spirit of your ancient lineage. To complete your trial, I am going to break your legs. You will lose the use of them. Do you accept this?"

Poo was nonplussed, but at least he was finally getting to the test. Wait, what did that spirit just ask? "…My legs must be broken before I can pass?"

"Yes."

"…Well, then…I accept." An invisible force snapped his legs like twigs, and he fell to the transparent surface he had been standing on. "Ah!" He let out a single cry of pain and surprise, and then bit his lip and clenched his fists to keep from screaming any more.

The spirit ignored the pain he was in and continued. "So, Prince Poo...you cannot walk, as your legs are broken. Next, I will tear your arms off and feed them to the crows. Do you accept this?"

Still in shock over the loss of his legs, the word "Yes" came out before he could stop it. Another horrible pair of snaps sounded, and his arms disappeared. He was in a world of pain. He screamed and screamed until his voice went raw, all the while staring wide-eyed at where his limbs used to be.

When he stopped screaming, the specter calmly started talking again. "Without legs and arms, you can only lie there. Now I'll cut your ears off. You do not mind my taking your hearing away, do you? Do you accept this?"

Poo wanted nothing more than to make the pain stop, but he wouldn't give up. He would pass this test and make his master proud. Clenching his eyes shut, he nodded quickly. He felt his ears being ripped off his head, and he felt blood run down the sides of his face. He screamed yet again, only this time he couldn't hear his own cries of agony.

Large white words materialized above the apparition: (So, Prince Poo…no legs, no arms, and no sound. By floating words through the air, I must ask you...do you care if I take your eyes? Do you want to live in eternal darkness? I shall steal your sight. Do you accept this?)

Poo nodded miserably, and his eyes were torn from him. He was in more pain then he had thought possible, but at least now that scary spirit couldn't ask him for more. How could it? Poo could neither hear the image's voice nor see anything that it wrote. This comforted him slightly, but his comfort quickly vanished when his mind's eye perceived a message.

(So, Prince Poo…now I can only communicate directly with your mind. Your mind is all you have left. In the end, I will take it, though you probably don't want to allow that, do you? ... You can't answer? You can't even move? Are you sad? Are you lonely? If you lose your mind, you also lose any feelings of sadness. Do you accept this? I will take your mind, Prince Poo. Know that I will possess it.)

Poo thought back a reply. (What do you want with my mind?)

(I already possess your body. If I take your mind too, then I will be able to take your form in the real world. I, unlike you, am strong enough to be one of the chosen four. I am strong enough to help save the world.)

(But only one of royal blood—)

(I _am_ of royal blood. I am your ancestor. My being the chosen one of Dalaam would be perfectly legitimate.)

(What will you do with my body and brain?)

(I will join with the other chosen ones, and together we will kill all of Giygas's minions and eventually Giygas himself.)

A long silence followed. Poo had a feeling that his success in this trial depended entirely on what he said next. After carefully considering his options, he responded. (In that case, you may not take my mind. Some things are worth fighting for, and some things are worth dying for; but _nothing_ is worth killing for. You cannot have me if you will use me to murder, even if it's for the sake of justice.) Poo held his breath, waiting for the verdict.

(Then you fail this test.) Poo's heart sank. (Now, for your punishment…)

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Poo opened his eyes and climbed down from the Place of Emptiness just as the servant girl returned with a strong-looking wise man. They gasped when they saw him unharmed. The wise man, seeing the difference in Poo's demeanor, exclaimed, "Prince Poo, you have completed your training! The old master must be so pleased! Hurry, now, and return to the palace."

Poo smiled and did what he was told. As he entered his master's chamber, the master sensed something new in the lad's spirit: a fierce determination and iron will that had never been there before. His doubts now seeming silly, the master beamed. "I am proud. You have completed your Mu training. There is nothing more to teach you from the holy writings. Prince Poo, I shall relay a message to you from Eternity. The evil entity that controls all wickedness is preparing for the greatest struggle of all time. The only ones who can challenge the entity are three boys and one girl. Once named Ness is the leader of the four. One of the boys is you. Now that you've completed your training, search out Ness at once." Poo nodded and used PSI Teleport Beta to disappear from the room. The master gasped. "How did he do that? No one in Dalaam has been able to teleport since our first king!"

The master's keen senses, although able to sense a difference in the boy's spirit, failed to notice that the spirit inhabiting the prince's body was not Poo's. Poo was dead. He had been murdered, and no one would ever know.


End file.
